SPIDER-MAN: THE OTHER SPIDER (CHAPTER 15)
10:05 pm Manhattan swinging…
Tracking the location of the spider-tracer attached onto Man-Spider, Spider-Man stayed on target for the half-arachnid hybrid. He was intent on staying up all night trying to chase down the loose science experiment until he could figure a way to subdue it.
"Oh man, what excuse can I make with Aunt May this time?" Spider-Man thought as he continued swinging.
Man-Spider has got to be nearby as Spider-Man continued swinging. While this was happening, Spider-Man noted that there were police helicopters on patrol tonight with the same intent of finding the creature.
"After what happened with Electro at the subway. I'm definitely making sure this one goes down." Spider-Man said, "And hopefully the cops don't shoot me on sight as well."
10:25 pm Midtown Clock Tower…
Picking up where the tracer was signalling off, Spider-Man came face to face with an old-fashioned clock tower building situated in the modern city of New York.
"Another historic monument…" Spider-Man sighed as he felt his Spider-sense go off, "But he has to be in there."
Jumping onto the top of the clock tower, Spider-Man carefully opened up a hatch with his hands and entered the clock tower.
"Ugh, it smells but at least it's not an industrial area this time." Spider-Man said as he stepped onto the creaky platform.
Turning on his thermo-vision function on his eye-lens, Spider-Man looked around to see if there was anything moving in the dark. He then spotted some orange and deduced that Man-Spider was hiding out here.
"I see you. Wonder why you wanted to hide here though." Spider-Man questioned before realising the creature has the same sense as him.
In a quick flash, Man-Spider shot out its webbing onto Spider-Man's face causing him to stumble around a bit.
"Argh, this is worse than my own medicine!" Spider-Man complained as he tried to take the webbing off his face.
Relentlessly, Man-Spider pounced onto Spider-Man in a struggle to be rid of him.
"Hey Anton, is that your name?" Spider-Man tried to talk, "Can I ask that us Spider-buddies need to make sense of this situation? How exactly did you become a spider guy?"
However, the tactic did not work as Man-Spider was prying open its jaw while attempting to take a bite off Spider-Man's head. All the while, Spider-Man himself was bound by four appendages from Man-Spider.
"He's just an animal at this point…" Spider-Man thought as he fought hard for his survival.
"Hope this works." Spider-Man said as he tased Man-Spider with electrical current from his web-shooters.
Man-Spider responded to the jolt letting Spider-Man go before Spider-Man kicked the creature off. As the webbing off his mask started to melt off, so did parts of his mask leaving parts of Peter Parker's face exposed.
"Oh great, his webs break down my mask?" Spider-Man said as he felt his right naked eye and mouth exposed.
More trouble was on its way as Spider-Man heard police squads trying to make their way towards the top of the tower. It was clear to him that the police had been tracking Man-Spider hard as he was.
"I need to incapacitate this thing fast." Spider-Man noted before wondering if he take off some of the appendages from Man-Spider.
As Man-Spider darted, Spider-Man dodged as best as he could all the while the cogwheels within the clock tower started to be broken as the two fought. Looking around the environment, Spider-Man formulated a way in which he could tear off some of the appendages.
Jumping around, the intelligence of Peter Parker against the mindless animalistic nature of Man-Spider started to clash. Spider-Man managed to trap Man-Spider's appendages between the cogwheels while he stayed behind them.
"Sorry to pull these legs off you." Spider-Man said before taking off each appendage with his strength.
Spider-Man could hear the pained hiss of his foe as he tore each of them off; he managed to pull four of them which was enough since Anton was supposed to have two arms and two legs anyway.
After the brutal deed was done, Spider-Man watched as Man-Spider squirmed on its back. He was confident to know that this incapacitation method would work without killing him since spiders can survive amputation so long as they do not lose blood.
The police squad arrived with firearms armed with torches in hand as they aimed at Man-Spider.
"Something tore those legs off him!" An officer yelled.
"Careful, that thing can still shoot webs and move a little. Tranquilize it now!" A police chief yelled.
Spider-Man had to escape the scene while watching the police squad shoot darts at Man-Spider. Despite being able to leave through the open hatch, one officer managed to hear him.
"What was that?" An officer wondered waving his gun around.
"I don't know, probably a rat or a bat. I bet they made themselves home here." Another officer responded.
"Anyway, looks like we finally caught 'Spider-Man'." The same officer noted.
"We'll see. Never thought he be this freaky up close if it's really him." The officer replied back while starting at the unconscious body of Man-Spider.
12:09 am Fisk penthouse…
Wilson was fast asleep in his own little double bed with his wife,Vanessa who slept like a royal queen next to him. He dreamed that the people of New York City would all rally behind him while his enemies were shunned as he hoped. And Vanessa, the love of his life with her beautiful streak of white hair against her brunette hair standed next to him in support. It was an ambitious dream for him given his own dirty dealings but should he play his cards right, the odds will be in his favour.
His phone suddenly tuned in a ring tone during the night much to his annoyance in which he turned on the lights and responded. Vanessa woke up too feeling a little sleepy eyed.
"Who is this?" Wilson asked rubbing his eye.
"We've got news to report, boss." A police officer's voice stated, "The spider creature that escaped from Empire State? It's been subdued."
"You couldn't tell me this tomorrow?" Wilson asked again.
"Just want to give an update, sir." The officer responded, "Sorry, if I disturbed you."
"Well, go away. I need my rest." Wilson said turning off the phone and sighing.
"Too many clients, Wilson?" Vanessa asked.
"Too much paperwork." Wilson said.
"Could you shut off the lights then?" Vanessa requested.
"I'm sorry, Vanessa." Wilson said shutting off the light.
7:35 am Stacy residence…
Gwen opened up her own eyes as she woke up to another morning day. Ever since, the Man-Spider incident, she had been less enthusiastic about going to university.
"Screw science…" Gwen grumbled as she tossed around the bed.
"Gwen! Are you getting up yet?" Helen, Gwen's mother asked.
"Not yet, mum…" Gwen said, "I'll be there."
"Well hurry up, your cell biology test is coming up soon." Helen said again.
"Oh my god, I totally forgot that test…" Gwen said before trying to push herself from the bed to wake up.
As she tried to push however, she came to a halt when both her hands were stuck on the bedsheets.
"Ah, what?" Gwen asked as she tried lifting her hands.
Eventually, the hands got off but Gwen still felt strange about it.
"Where the hell did, I get sticky fingers from?" Gwen asked herself.
She then walked up to the mirror and noticed that her eye vision seemed to be in shape. She blinked twice to ensure that this was not an illusion.
"And mum said, we should go to an optometrist." Gwen said shaking her head which caused her hair to be messy.
As Gwen tried to pick up a comb, the comb ended up getting stuck on her hand.
"Again, with the sticky fingers!" Gwen said as she tried pulling the comb off her fingertips.
As soon as the comb came off, Gwen decided to just head to the kitchen.
Arriving at the kitchen, Gwen met up with her mother and younger brother, Simon who were eating their share of toast, eggs and bacon.
"Gwen, honey. Your hair." Helen said.
"Sorry, cell biology test remember? Gotta have time to study." Gwen said as she reached for the cereal box in the middle of the table.
Once again, her hands got stuck on the box which caused Gwen much frustration in trying to pull it off. Helen and Simon watched as Gwen was putting up with her antics.
"Are you okay there?" Helen asked.
"I'm fine, I just-" Gwen said before letting go and spilt some of the cereal out on the floor.
"Sorry…" Gwen stated.
8:35 am Daily Bugle meeting room, 4th floor…
Coming off from last night's event, John was trying his best to suppress his excitement all the while being ready to channel more of his disdain for Spider-Man.
"So, the disappointing thing is… That spider creature… Was not Spider-Man." John commented, "But that does not exclude the theory I have about him."
"Which is?" Robbie asked.
"Spider-Man is not a human. He's a beast; an alien from another planet. Under that suit, he's hideous." John said, "Just like that other 'Spider-Man.'"
The staff all looked puzzled as John rambled on.
"As soon as Parker comes here with that photo. We'll have a special J. Jonah editorial published." John smiled.
"And how will this theory lend to the Bugle's credibility?" Frederick wondered.
"It will be hot cakes, Foswell. Imagine… J. Jonah Jameson, the man who finally figured who Spider-Man is." John continued.
Frederick widened his eyes briefly while John continued to dabble in his own pride.
"Jonah, we're not going to call the other thing last night, 'Spider-Man', are we?" Robbie asked.
"Of course, not… Give me time to think this one out." John said.
TO BE CONTINUED…
End note: I'll be trying to find ways to make Gwen-centric chapters now since I feel I've been doing a lot of Peter Parker stuff with him working for the Bugle and his conflict with Fisk.